CHAPTER X.

STUART'S RAID INTO PENNSYLVANIA.-BURNSIDE SUPERSEDES MACCLELLAN.—BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, DECEMBER 13TH, 1862. GENERAL LEE's first care, on arriving at Winchester, was to procure his soldiers shoes and clothing. The citizens of Richmond on their part hastened to contribute to the needs of their heroic defenders. Stragglers were likewise looked up. They came in from all sides, well rested and recovered from their fatigues. In less than a fortnight the army was increased by 30,000 new men. The district in which they were was admirably adapted to restore to the soldiers health of body and elasticity of mind. Rest, mountain air, abundance of food, brought back life to these warriors, exhausted by the glorious fatigues of the two preceding campaigns. In the evening, after the day's drill, numerous groups were often seen, assembled under the trees, singing some religious hymn, a recollection of their infancy and family. The young chaplain talked in convincing terms of his holy mission, then another hymn was heard, and, by the glare of the half-extinguished torches, the groups of soldiers dispersed, silent and reflecting.

The Confederates, far from being discouraged by later events, acquired an increase of faith in themselves, looking reasonably on the battle of Sharpsburg, where the enemy was so superior in numbers, as a feat of arms altogether honourable. Their confidence in their officers, especially in General Lee, was

much augmented.

Thanks to this sentiment, which, later, was developed to a point unheard of, Lee did extraordinary things. His men felt that he was a man to bear no matter what test, and in such cases the soldier is rarely deceived: he judges for himself. Lee had already been able to inspire them with a profound admiration for his military talents; his goodness, the care which he took of them, his simplicity soon caused him to be adored. In all this campaign not an impatient word had escaped him. Always in the front rank, indifferent to danger, he displayed a paternal sweetness towards all his subordinates; his soldiers regarded that firm and upright form with a constantly increasing feeling of affection, robed in its simple uniform of grey, that quiet countenance, that expression full of dignity and serenity, impassive alike amid the tiresomeness of the march and in the tumult of battle. "There is Uncle Robert," they would exclaim one to another, as he passed, crowding round him, cheering him, and shaking his hands.

The country generally shared this feeling. Everywhere where he pitched his camp the neighbours came in crowds to see him. An English officer who passed some time in the Confederate camp near Winchester, speaks of it thus:

"In visiting the head-quarters of the Confederate generals, but particularly those of General Lee, any one accustomed to see European armies in the field cannot fail to be struck with the great absence of all the pomp and circumstance of war in and around their encampments. Lee's head-quarters consisted of about seven or eight pole-tents, pitched with their backs to a stake fence, upon a piece of ground so rocky that it was unpleasant to ride over it, its only recommendation being a little stream of good water, which flowed close to the general's tent. In front of the tents were some three four-wheeled waggons, drawn up without any regularity, and a number of horses roamed loose about the field. The servants, who were, of course, slaves, and the mounted soldiers, called couriers, were unprovided with

tents, and slept in or under the waggons. Waggons, tents, and some of the horses, were marked U.S.,-showing that part of that huge debt in the North has gone to furnishing even the Confederate generals with camp equipments. No guard or sentries were to be seen in the vicinity; no crowd of aides-de-camp loitering about, making themselves agreeable to visitors. . . . A large farmhouse stands close by, which, in any other army, would have been the general's residence pro tem.; but, as no liberties are allowed to be taken with personal property, in Lee's army, he is particular in setting a good example himself. His staff are crowded together, two or three in a tent; none are allowed to carry more baggage than a small box each, and his own kit is but very little larger. Every one who approaches him does so with. marked respect, although there is none of that bowing and flourishing of forage caps which occurs in the presence of European generals; and while all honour him, and place implicit faith in his courage and ability, those with whom he is most intimate feel for him the affection of sons to a father. Old General Scott was correct in saying that, when Lee joined the Southern cause, it was worth as much as the accession of 20,000 men to the rebels. Since then, every injury that it was possible to inflict, the Northerners have heaped upon him. His house on the Pamunkey River has been entirely destroyed, and his beautiful estate on Arlington Heights pillaged of all it contained. All the relics of George Washington-such as pictures, books, plate—have been stolen, to be exhibited in the galleries of Northern towns. Notwithstanding all these personal losses, however, when speaking of the Yankees, he neither evinced any bitterness of feeling, nor gave utterance to a single violent expression, but alluded to many of his former friends and companions among them in the kindest terms. He spoke as a man proud of the victories won by his country, and confident of ultimate success, under the blessing of the Almighty, whom he glorified for past successes, and whose aid he invoked for all future operations."

The Confederate Government, profiting by the experience of the later military operations, divided the different armies into corps. The army of Northern Virginia, with which we are specially occupied, was divided into two corps, the first placed under the command of Major-General Longstreet, the second under that of Major-General Jackson. The first corps consisted of the divisions of MacLaws, Hook, Picket, and Walker; the second those of A. P. Hill, Ewell, and the division formerly under Jackson, now under General Tagliaferro. General D. H. Hill was at the head of the reserve, the cavalry remained under Stuart, and the artillery under Pendleton. At the end of October the army reckoned between 55,000 and 60,000 fighting men; but Lee had many difficulties to surmount in order to fill up gaps, and retain soldiers under his flags. The Confederate troops were badly paid when the depreciation of paper money is taken into account. Their patriotism was so much the more glorious. While the Federal soldier's pay was higher than it has ever been in any country or time, the average of the Confederate's, from May 1861 to April 1865, was 38 cents, worth, so much was paper money depreciated, about 2 francs (i.e. about 1s. 7d.). A soldier who sells his life at this price cannot be suspected of mercenary motives. Likewise, in consequence of the many hardships and conflicts, the number of wounded and sick was very high. Most of these were sent to Richmond, Petersburg, and Lynchburg. The Southern hospitals were too few and ill-provided; of necessity, therefore, many were allowed to return to their own hearths to be taken care of; convalescents also, leaving the hospitals, received leave to go home and recover themselves more rapidly. A great number of these never returned to their standards.

Placed at Winchester, the key of the lower Shenandoah Valley, General Lee was in position to watch the line of the Potomac in his front, where the army of MacClellan was, and also the Blue Ridge passes on his right, by which the enemy might, by a rapid movement, march on his flank or rear. Posted in this advantageous

position he let more than a month pass, the two armies watching one another. When the Confederates retired on Winchester, General Jackson was directed, as far as possible, to destroy the railway from Ohio to Baltimore, the principal way of communication between the West and East, of which the enemy made great use for revictualling. He completely fulfilled his mission, cutting away the bridges over an extent of thirty-seven miles, rendering the road utterly impracticable for a long time.

MacClellan, having left, for purposes of observation, at Harper's Ferry and on the neighbouring heights, two corps under General Sumner, was occupied in reorganizing his troops, and putting them in a condition to undertake a new campaign against the Southern capital. For that matter, his resources were ten times those of his adversary. During this interval nothing happened of importance, except a cavalry skirmish, in which Colonel W. H. F. Lee, son of the commander-in-chief, distinguished himself, and which terminated in the retreat of the Federal cavalry. On the 8th of October, in order somewhat to ascertain what was passing with the enemy, and to know something of his movements and position, Lee directed Stuart to conduct a reconnoitring expedition into Pennsylvania.

On the 9th, at the head of 1800 horse and 4 pieces of artillery, under the command of General Hampton and Colonels W. H. F. Lee and Jones, he began his march. Very strict orders had been given to the soldiers to conduct themselves with prudence, and abstain from acts of violence. Their errand was limited to the taking of horses or other legitimate prizes, and, above all, to obtaining every sort of information about the enemy's forces and movements. On the morning of the 10th the Confederate column crossed the Potomac at MacCoy's, above Williamsport. Some Federal sentries took flight. A large corps of Federal troops had just passed on the road to Cumberland. Stuart would have liked to march on Hagerstown, where he knew the Federals had amassed a good deal of war-material, but he